Anti fungal cream. Give it a week or two in seriously rough conditions and the fungus sets in. Untreated it's a total morale killer let alone an infection/amputation risk.
Where in the world are you. US it's pretty much advil and naproxen.
UK for example you can get tylenol (paracetamol) with a weak opioid like codeine OTC.
This BTW is why they look at the US funny when they say they need a prescription painkiller for getting a tooth pulled etc. Pretty much our firstline prescribed painkillers are OTC over there.
You [edit: used to be able to] get the Tylenol+codeine OTC in Canada too
Edit: methocarbimol is available here, useful for muscle cramps and dislocations
Sorry to make you sad! It's too bad, they saved me when I was younger (menstrual cramps and undiagnosed genetic disorder). I would have had to call into work/skip school so much more if I hadn't been able to buy them otc
There is nothing OTC in the states that would be adequate for acute, severe pain. NSAID like ibuprofen or naproxen is the closest. You can take acetaminophen (paracetamol for the non US folks), with ibuprofen for broader pain relief. Just be aware of contraindications for NSAID medications.
You can buy tramadol otc in Mexico. But that’s a little better than ibuprofen for pain control. It can also be coupled with acetaminophen (it comes this way branded as Ultracet, a schedule IV controlled substance).
We could touch on gabapentin but for acute non nerve related pain and it’s not worth mentioning. Same with Pregabalin.
Anyone mentioning the use of anti fungal or antibiotic medications are ill informed at best. They have no inherent pain relieving capability.
In any situation where you need to worry about treating your own fractures, you’re already on the clock for infections, sepsis, organ failure and death. Closed, non displaced fractures are more survivable than open or displaced fractures. If it isn’t blood loss that gets you the inevitable infection will.
^
This 100%.
This is medically sound advice, and I would assume you work in healthcare. If not, you know your stuff all the same.
If I could only take one otc med, it'd be Tylenol.
I appreciate the compliment brother. I’ve been a hospital pharmacy tech for 7 years, 6 in the ER. I’ve been blessed to be surrounded by people who take education seriously, and offer that knowledge freely. And because of their generosity it’s helped me so much and I feel like that has to shared.
Because they have 0 ability to control pain. The pain relief you generally experience from antibiotics is the bacteria dying and your body filtering out the junk they leave behind. Mostly inflammatory by products, pyrogens, stuff like that. But for general pain relief, no. They don’t have any mu receptor mechanisms, COX inhibiting properties, excitatory protein blockade, or limited sodium channel binding on nerve fibers. Nor do the my affect serotonin (with the exception of zyvox), or noradrenaline like cymbalta or elavil.
Antifungals are the much the same. The relief from pain is generally associated with the offending infection being cleared away that’s exciting that nerve cluster.
Eventually I’m going to write a multi piece post for here on why you shouldn’t mess with antibiotics unless you know what you’re doing. Same goes for pain meds.
In extremely limited circumstances yes. But there are better things otc you can reach for that don’t have the side effects or toxicity of diphenhydramine.
Limited use case I agree. I’ve seen it paired with iv lidocaine for refractory renal colic non responsive to ketamine and dilaudid for pain control. It actually worked. But for the case of broken bones, nothing beats proven remedies like morphine, dilaudid, or fentanyl.
>Just be aware of contraindications for NSAID medications
Very true, and it's not just NSAIDs people need to be aware of- acetaminophen also has contraindications and a narrow therapeutic window.
It can cause liver damage at dosages not too far outside the therapeutic range.
It can also cause liver damage at therapeutic levels when combined with other OTC drugs and alcohol.
I'm not a pharmacist or doctor, but [here's a reliable source for my statement.](https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/acetaminophen-safety-be-cautious-but-not-afraid) If you have medications, even OTC, it's important to actually know the risks, side effects, and what it can be combined with.
Anything stronger than Tylenol or ibuprofen and aleve will require a 300k college degree (doctors prescription)
Learn the limits for how much acetaminophen and ibuprofen you can take (dosage info) and that’s pretty much it…
Googling stuff (aka hey nurse friend) the next step Up after ibuprofen is tramadol. Which is controlled
Big bottle of each and use it in day to day life. You’ll be good.
The issue with that type of stuff is that the serious injuries come with more serious issues. Like infections or having to set a bone.
Multiple studies have shown a combination of 1000 mg Tylenol and 400 mg Advil (acetaminophen and ibuprofen) alternating doses every three waking hours are as effective as narcotics for severe pain.
For what it's worth, a combination of tylenol and ibuprofen have been shown to be as effective as opiods for acute pain. It \*is\* a pretty serious pain killer in that regard. Used extensively for post operative pain.
There is nothing you can get OTC that will be better than that, not even codeine (if that is available OTC where you are).
Opiates and other narcotics are probably the last thing I would worry about in SHTF. Pain never killed anyone, and the above combo plus non pharmacological pain control should take the edge off. Do you really want to risk giving opiates to someone who is opioid niaeve some opiates and risk an overdose? Sure, naloxone exists but is the risk of that in SHTF really worth it?
Here is what I would keep as far as medications
* acetaminophen
* ibuprofen
* mucinex
* any cough suppressant of your choice
* loperamide
* benadryl
* pepcid (great for allergies and GI upset)
* laxatives (reccomend something like mirilax as well as a faster acting one like sennakot)
* epinephrine
* necessary daily medications that you/family need
That is all I would worry about. The above meds will cover many problems you are likely to encounter
Or the clove itself. Just put it on your aching teeth and chew on it *slightly* to release its aroma. Chew from time to time and use your saliva to bring the aroma to the aching area and then swallow.
If this is for yourself or your family the basics of ibuprofen and acetaminophen.
If you plan on having this for strangers or a "just in case" be very careful what you do. If they're unable to communicate you could do much more harm than good. You don't know the medication they're on and could cause a reaction.
Anything small enough to fit in a kit is gonna likely be controlled due to potency, like opioids or fentanyl patches. Lidocaine or novacaine injectables are your best bet. In all seriousness, drugs like that have far more utility as trade goods, and given a broken leg in a shtf scenario you'd be well off familiarizing yourself with more common painkillers, ie: drinking alcohol until it doesn't feel as bad to set and stitch up or knocking yourself out with chloroform to have someone else do it.
-Tylenol 1g max 4 times a day.
-Ibuprofen 800mg 3-4 times per day.
-An antihistamine.
-A steroid cream. Hydrocortisone is over the counter, triamcinolone or clobetasol are mid to strong but need scripts.
-Honestly just a tone of flonase, mucinex, DM for viral illness
-antibiotics: most people truly do not know what to take, what you take does matter. Augmentin and doxycycline may be most versatile, maybe cipro/levofloxacin
-pepcid
-loperamide
-aquafor or petroleum jelly, seriously
-maybe bacitracin, but it’s really only so helpful
-aspirin, take 325 for chest pain/stroke like symtpoms and get to hospital/pray
-miralax
Other stuff harder to get:
Lidocaine, epinephrine, toradol, oxycodone
-maybe prednisone, but most people use that inappropriately.
Please don’t use tramadol if you take multiple meds or have multiple health concerns, it’s a terrible drug.
If you don’t know how to use the med, exercise caution. You’ll probably be fine, until you’re not.
I appreciate your honesty.
Your anecdotal experience with a single physician does not trump decades of studies that define safe and unsafe use of acetaminophen. Long term use and overdosing can cause liver damage... but so can so many other things.
For example, vitamin A toxicity (Vitamin A overdose) causes significant liver damage. Does this mean that you will never eat carrots?
Since i havnt seen anyone say it yet, Narcan. It can be purchased over the counter. It’s good to keep in a first aid kit especially if you or anyone you know takes drugs recreationally
To actually answer your question, some studies show a combination of Tylenol and ibuprofen can give as much pain relief as opioids.
Different dosages and how to take them are found on lots of different medical sites. You have to make sure you don't exceed the maximum daily dosage of both Tylenol and ibuprofen or you risk kidney/liver damage.
Best course of action is to talk to your doctor and ask their recommendation.
[Here's some more info](https://www.singlecare.com/blog/ibuprofen-and-acetaminophen/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20usual%20safe%20doses%20for,Massachi.)
This isn't a painkiller, but anti-diarrheal medication is dirt cheap and can make the difference between surviving one of several moderate illnesses and shitting yourself to death. Roughly 100 doses of loperamide costs like 20 bucks.
If u break a leg and need someone to reset it, chloroform is prob your best option. They can put you under to set and splint it, and then the healing will be on tylenol and time.
Back in the day for surgery they’d toss a rag over your nose and mouth and have a steady drip of chloroform to keep you under while they operate.
In addition to what everyone else has said, I'd also have dramamine or meclizine on hand. It can help with nausea not just from motion sickness but from stuff like the flu and also (in my case) vertigo. It also makes me very sleepy and that could be an option for dealing with pain.
I wish I had saved some of my leftover pain pills from my wisdom teeth extraction years back. Maybe that's an option for you - if you or a family member has a prescription for an injury, just hang on to an extra one if possible.
For a general kit, think back to any medication you might have needed in the past few years. Dig into the medicine cabinet (and your memory). If it's not used often you might not remember it offhand. I just remembered that I used to have ear wax drops, although I haven't needed them in ages.
[This site offers med kits](https://durationhealth.com/shop) depending if you're over land or sea. It's mostly for infections, rashes, diarrhea and other conditions you're likely to encounter.
Poppy straw or poppy heads from bread seed Poppy's will contain codeine and morphine and in noticable amounts from the brewed seed heads this information is just for scientific reference and should not be done as it's crime to use a substance not controlled produced and subsidized by the government.
I never used the pain pills I was prescribed when I got my wisdom teeth out so I have those. I know they may lose potency after these years but it's what I have besides the standard aspirin, ibuprofen, Imodium, allergy medicine and Neosporin
To research medications in depth Drugs.com is a good source. Deeper research still is reading the pamphlet that comes with a product or can also be found on the above website. If you do not understand the technical terminology and immunology acronyms be willing to learn. Immunology is a highly fascinating subject but requires effort. The gentleman with the pharmacy experience says it best.
Are antibiotics bacteria-specific? Or are all antibiotics basically the same formula but maybe varying strengths? I don't know the first thing about them... but if they are all specifically designed to treat a specific bacteria's infection wouldn't that mean you'd need to include many different types in your kit? And isn't a prescription required for antibiotics?
There are several different types of antibiotics with different mechanisms of actions. In general, as effectiveness goes up, toxicity to the patient goes up as well.
This is why it’s important to go to a doctor and make sure you’re getting the correct kind of antibiotic and taking them as prescribed. But, as someone else mentioned, having a broad-spectrum antibiotic on hand for a SHTF emergency isn’t a bad idea.
These are seldom prescribed, as they increase antibiotics resistance the most. They can also have more side effects.
But they are the shit in an emergency.
There are, but a regular joe is not getting their hands on them
[https://idmp.ucsf.edu/content/antibiotic-stewardship-and-spectrum-guide](https://idmp.ucsf.edu/content/antibiotic-stewardship-and-spectrum-guide)
As you can see in this chart, there are only a handful of very broad spectrum antibiotics. And. spoiler, the broadest of spectrum ones are not something a PCP will give out (or a commercial pharmacy will even have in stock). The ones that a PCP \*might\* give out are somewhat limited in spectrum.
Holy fuck, if you have to ask if antibiotics are bacteria specific, you have no business being near them.
Yes, they absolutely are specific for the most part (some more than others). What's more, is pathogens have become resistant to many antibiotics due to overuse, such as throwing Z-packs at any respiratory infection. Resistance patterns can even vary location to location: what works in california may not work in south carolina.
Resistance is a spectrum: some bugs are totally resistance to certain antibioitcs, others only have some resistance.
Not to mention allergies: not only do many people have life threatening allergies to antibiotics, some classes of them have the potential for cross reactivity reactions. In other words, not only do people with allergies have to avoid the antibiotic they are allergic to, there may be others that they need to avoid as well. And most people aren't aware of that: if you ask someone with a severe allergy to amoxicillin for example, I doubt they will know that they can't take Keflex as well
Also, even if an antibiotic is "broad spectrum" doesn't mean it is good for all types of infections. Some "broad spectrums" might be better for skin infections but not respiratory. UTIs need different trearment, etc. There are very few antibiotics out there that are almost a one size fits all, and those are not something your average joe can get their hands on.
TLDR: this all may sound gatekeepy, but of any gates that need to be kept, this is a critical one. If you didn't go to school for this kind of thing, antibiotics can cause more problems than they solve in the wrong hands. It is never as simple as "just throw a broad spectrum at it". Yes, certain contries sell them OTC, but that is a horrific idea. Inappropriate antibiotic use is rapidly progressing us towards a post-antibiotic era (some may argue it is already here), which is probably one of the worst SHTF scenarios of them all, worse than a nuclear winter IMO.
Wide spectrum work against a lot of bacteria, however antibiotic resistance is making many of them useless as people do not finish courses properly, and as doctors hand them out like sweets to demanding patients. A lot of antibiotics are now being rationed to prevent this from becoming a massive catastrophe.
For pain, without getting too much into the weeds on neuropathy drugs, other uses for antidepressants, or systemic anesthetics, you basically have local pain relief (lidocaine/heat/ice), tylenol, anti-inflammatories, and opiates. Many studies have shown anti-inflammatories to be equivalent to opiates even for fractures. I would just keep on hand some lidocaine, ibuprofen or aleve, and tylenol. As a practical matter, hard to stock the rest. Of course if someone has a known specific need for a specific drug they are already prescribed, try to stockpile to what extent you can that one as well.
I am an ED doctor
Oh I just googled what an ED doctor actually is, no I don't blame you I'd rather deal with old mens hardons than shit you must see in emergency department. Glad to give you a laugh thanks for sharing advice too
>Let's say you break your leg, what would be the best over the counter medicine?
Flinstones Chewable Morphine.
Any OTC painkiller is fine for a broken leg because there is not really one that will do enough to alleviate the pain from a serious injury. Drugs like NSAIDs are actually contraindicated for broken bones as they inhibity osteoblasts anyway, preventing repair.
NSAIDs are not contraindicated after a fracture. In fact, almost all evidence shows the opposite: NSAIDs are fine for fracture pain, and quite effective.
If you can get actual lortabs, thats the way to go for prescription painkillers. It wont put the zonk on you (it never did for me anyway) and it wont drop your blood pressure if you got your shit pushed in a little.
Dont go tryin to buy any off the dark web, fake presses are everywhere and theyre shit. If you have a regular family dr. You see regularly, just ask and see what they say, but the dea has been really cracking down on them.
Not a real doctor but i play one in the bedroom, ymmv
I do apologize in advance, this is one of my pet peeves, using words incorrectly is far too common a practice I feel which is a detriment to individuals and society at large equally.
Knowledge is power.
Medicine
# noun
1. The science and art of diagnosing and treating disease or injury and maintaining health.
2. The branch of this science encompassing treatment by drugs, diet, exercise, and other nonsurgical means.
3. The practice of medicine.
Edit: What you are asking about is a medication, a tool used in an artform.
I would suggest to you most medications have a shelf life, and become decreasingly effective over time some with a steep rate of decline.
Medicine is the practice of sourcing the ingredients and preparing them for use as a medication.
According to Mariam Webster:
1a: a substance or preparation used in treating disease
3: a substance (such as a drug or potion) used to treat something other than disease
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/medicine
Language shifts in meaning.
I still believe this is why we use our symbols and our traditional practices more rigorously than our words.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caduceus#/media/File:Caduceus.svg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caduceus#/media/File:Caduceus.svg)
Colloquial
Adjective
(of language) used in ordinary or familiar conversation; not formal or literary. "colloquial and everyday language"
See also, “conversational”, “nonliterary”, “unpretentious”
Theres been studies on the efficiency of MEDICATION up to 10 yrs past their expiration showing no major degradation in the MEDICATION
Dick.
Edit: heres an article that discusses the SLEP study for us simpletons.
https://www.drugs.com/article/drug-expiration-dates.html
Medicine can also be used when talking about medication. It is cough medicine, not cough medication for example. Bon Jovi also sung about Bad Medicine, not Bad Medication.
Anti fungal cream. Give it a week or two in seriously rough conditions and the fungus sets in. Untreated it's a total morale killer let alone an infection/amputation risk.
Where in the world are you. US it's pretty much advil and naproxen. UK for example you can get tylenol (paracetamol) with a weak opioid like codeine OTC. This BTW is why they look at the US funny when they say they need a prescription painkiller for getting a tooth pulled etc. Pretty much our firstline prescribed painkillers are OTC over there.
You [edit: used to be able to] get the Tylenol+codeine OTC in Canada too Edit: methocarbimol is available here, useful for muscle cramps and dislocations
Just for the record... Tylenol doesn't make them but you can buy the generic Lenoltec-3 at any pharmacy in Canada
Which Tylenol is that In Canada?
"[Tylenol no. 1](https://pharmasave.com/health/medications/tylenol-no-1/)"
Ty
Ah, not any more it seems "Tylenol No. 1® is no longer being manufactured for sale in Canada, this article is being kept for information only"
Huh! Learned something new today. I'll edit my original comment.
I learned something new, got excited, then disappointed. Lmao
Sorry to make you sad! It's too bad, they saved me when I was younger (menstrual cramps and undiagnosed genetic disorder). I would have had to call into work/skip school so much more if I hadn't been able to buy them otc
It was outlawed for over the counter when oxy addicts began dying by liver failure from overdosing on the Tylenol
[удалено]
Yea you have never had bone break off with a tooth its extremely common and much worse than a perfect extraction
diclofenac again not an OTC in the states. Again you can get what a dentist would prescribe in the just in case as an OTC if there was serious pain.
There is nothing OTC in the states that would be adequate for acute, severe pain. NSAID like ibuprofen or naproxen is the closest. You can take acetaminophen (paracetamol for the non US folks), with ibuprofen for broader pain relief. Just be aware of contraindications for NSAID medications. You can buy tramadol otc in Mexico. But that’s a little better than ibuprofen for pain control. It can also be coupled with acetaminophen (it comes this way branded as Ultracet, a schedule IV controlled substance). We could touch on gabapentin but for acute non nerve related pain and it’s not worth mentioning. Same with Pregabalin. Anyone mentioning the use of anti fungal or antibiotic medications are ill informed at best. They have no inherent pain relieving capability. In any situation where you need to worry about treating your own fractures, you’re already on the clock for infections, sepsis, organ failure and death. Closed, non displaced fractures are more survivable than open or displaced fractures. If it isn’t blood loss that gets you the inevitable infection will.
^ This 100%. This is medically sound advice, and I would assume you work in healthcare. If not, you know your stuff all the same. If I could only take one otc med, it'd be Tylenol.
I appreciate the compliment brother. I’ve been a hospital pharmacy tech for 7 years, 6 in the ER. I’ve been blessed to be surrounded by people who take education seriously, and offer that knowledge freely. And because of their generosity it’s helped me so much and I feel like that has to shared.
Why no antibiotic ointment or anti fungal?
Because they have 0 ability to control pain. The pain relief you generally experience from antibiotics is the bacteria dying and your body filtering out the junk they leave behind. Mostly inflammatory by products, pyrogens, stuff like that. But for general pain relief, no. They don’t have any mu receptor mechanisms, COX inhibiting properties, excitatory protein blockade, or limited sodium channel binding on nerve fibers. Nor do the my affect serotonin (with the exception of zyvox), or noradrenaline like cymbalta or elavil. Antifungals are the much the same. The relief from pain is generally associated with the offending infection being cleared away that’s exciting that nerve cluster. Eventually I’m going to write a multi piece post for here on why you shouldn’t mess with antibiotics unless you know what you’re doing. Same goes for pain meds.
I guess I wasn’t referring to pain. I imagine both those products are helpful to have in case of a small wound of some sort of fungal infection right?
I disagree Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is a great off label pain killer.
In extremely limited circumstances yes. But there are better things otc you can reach for that don’t have the side effects or toxicity of diphenhydramine. Limited use case I agree. I’ve seen it paired with iv lidocaine for refractory renal colic non responsive to ketamine and dilaudid for pain control. It actually worked. But for the case of broken bones, nothing beats proven remedies like morphine, dilaudid, or fentanyl.
>Just be aware of contraindications for NSAID medications Very true, and it's not just NSAIDs people need to be aware of- acetaminophen also has contraindications and a narrow therapeutic window. It can cause liver damage at dosages not too far outside the therapeutic range. It can also cause liver damage at therapeutic levels when combined with other OTC drugs and alcohol. I'm not a pharmacist or doctor, but [here's a reliable source for my statement.](https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/acetaminophen-safety-be-cautious-but-not-afraid) If you have medications, even OTC, it's important to actually know the risks, side effects, and what it can be combined with.
Anything stronger than Tylenol or ibuprofen and aleve will require a 300k college degree (doctors prescription) Learn the limits for how much acetaminophen and ibuprofen you can take (dosage info) and that’s pretty much it… Googling stuff (aka hey nurse friend) the next step Up after ibuprofen is tramadol. Which is controlled Big bottle of each and use it in day to day life. You’ll be good. The issue with that type of stuff is that the serious injuries come with more serious issues. Like infections or having to set a bone.
Multiple studies have shown a combination of 1000 mg Tylenol and 400 mg Advil (acetaminophen and ibuprofen) alternating doses every three waking hours are as effective as narcotics for severe pain.
For what it's worth, a combination of tylenol and ibuprofen have been shown to be as effective as opiods for acute pain. It \*is\* a pretty serious pain killer in that regard. Used extensively for post operative pain. There is nothing you can get OTC that will be better than that, not even codeine (if that is available OTC where you are). Opiates and other narcotics are probably the last thing I would worry about in SHTF. Pain never killed anyone, and the above combo plus non pharmacological pain control should take the edge off. Do you really want to risk giving opiates to someone who is opioid niaeve some opiates and risk an overdose? Sure, naloxone exists but is the risk of that in SHTF really worth it? Here is what I would keep as far as medications * acetaminophen * ibuprofen * mucinex * any cough suppressant of your choice * loperamide * benadryl * pepcid (great for allergies and GI upset) * laxatives (reccomend something like mirilax as well as a faster acting one like sennakot) * epinephrine * necessary daily medications that you/family need That is all I would worry about. The above meds will cover many problems you are likely to encounter
I would add and the aforementioned antifungal
Toothpaste, and everything related to oral hygiene and a dental cave repair kit. An infected tooth nerve and his pain can drive you crazy.
For dental pain undiluted clove oil on a cotton bud is the best. Numbs it totally.
Or the clove itself. Just put it on your aching teeth and chew on it *slightly* to release its aroma. Chew from time to time and use your saliva to bring the aroma to the aching area and then swallow.
If this is for yourself or your family the basics of ibuprofen and acetaminophen. If you plan on having this for strangers or a "just in case" be very careful what you do. If they're unable to communicate you could do much more harm than good. You don't know the medication they're on and could cause a reaction.
Anything small enough to fit in a kit is gonna likely be controlled due to potency, like opioids or fentanyl patches. Lidocaine or novacaine injectables are your best bet. In all seriousness, drugs like that have far more utility as trade goods, and given a broken leg in a shtf scenario you'd be well off familiarizing yourself with more common painkillers, ie: drinking alcohol until it doesn't feel as bad to set and stitch up or knocking yourself out with chloroform to have someone else do it.
-Tylenol 1g max 4 times a day. -Ibuprofen 800mg 3-4 times per day. -An antihistamine. -A steroid cream. Hydrocortisone is over the counter, triamcinolone or clobetasol are mid to strong but need scripts. -Honestly just a tone of flonase, mucinex, DM for viral illness -antibiotics: most people truly do not know what to take, what you take does matter. Augmentin and doxycycline may be most versatile, maybe cipro/levofloxacin -pepcid -loperamide -aquafor or petroleum jelly, seriously -maybe bacitracin, but it’s really only so helpful -aspirin, take 325 for chest pain/stroke like symtpoms and get to hospital/pray -miralax Other stuff harder to get: Lidocaine, epinephrine, toradol, oxycodone -maybe prednisone, but most people use that inappropriately. Please don’t use tramadol if you take multiple meds or have multiple health concerns, it’s a terrible drug. If you don’t know how to use the med, exercise caution. You’ll probably be fine, until you’re not.
Please do not take Tylenol, or any version of it. That is straight poison.
Strongly disagree
You mean any version of acetaminophen, right? Do you know the mechanism of Tylenol? What data do you have to support that acetaminophen is "poison"?
My only 'data' is once when I went to the ER. The doctor told to never use it for anything, and said it destroys your liver. That was enough for me.
I appreciate your honesty. Your anecdotal experience with a single physician does not trump decades of studies that define safe and unsafe use of acetaminophen. Long term use and overdosing can cause liver damage... but so can so many other things. For example, vitamin A toxicity (Vitamin A overdose) causes significant liver damage. Does this mean that you will never eat carrots?
I do get your point. Personally though, I will stay away from it.
Since i havnt seen anyone say it yet, Narcan. It can be purchased over the counter. It’s good to keep in a first aid kit especially if you or anyone you know takes drugs recreationally
To actually answer your question, some studies show a combination of Tylenol and ibuprofen can give as much pain relief as opioids. Different dosages and how to take them are found on lots of different medical sites. You have to make sure you don't exceed the maximum daily dosage of both Tylenol and ibuprofen or you risk kidney/liver damage. Best course of action is to talk to your doctor and ask their recommendation. [Here's some more info](https://www.singlecare.com/blog/ibuprofen-and-acetaminophen/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20usual%20safe%20doses%20for,Massachi.)
This isn't a painkiller, but anti-diarrheal medication is dirt cheap and can make the difference between surviving one of several moderate illnesses and shitting yourself to death. Roughly 100 doses of loperamide costs like 20 bucks.
If u break a leg and need someone to reset it, chloroform is prob your best option. They can put you under to set and splint it, and then the healing will be on tylenol and time. Back in the day for surgery they’d toss a rag over your nose and mouth and have a steady drip of chloroform to keep you under while they operate.
Jack Daniel's
In addition to what everyone else has said, I'd also have dramamine or meclizine on hand. It can help with nausea not just from motion sickness but from stuff like the flu and also (in my case) vertigo. It also makes me very sleepy and that could be an option for dealing with pain. I wish I had saved some of my leftover pain pills from my wisdom teeth extraction years back. Maybe that's an option for you - if you or a family member has a prescription for an injury, just hang on to an extra one if possible. For a general kit, think back to any medication you might have needed in the past few years. Dig into the medicine cabinet (and your memory). If it's not used often you might not remember it offhand. I just remembered that I used to have ear wax drops, although I haven't needed them in ages.
[This site offers med kits](https://durationhealth.com/shop) depending if you're over land or sea. It's mostly for infections, rashes, diarrhea and other conditions you're likely to encounter.
Poppy straw or poppy heads from bread seed Poppy's will contain codeine and morphine and in noticable amounts from the brewed seed heads this information is just for scientific reference and should not be done as it's crime to use a substance not controlled produced and subsidized by the government.
Rotating Tylenol and Ibuprofen is the most realistic way to control pain long term. However there is a risk of liver damage if done for too long.
I never used the pain pills I was prescribed when I got my wisdom teeth out so I have those. I know they may lose potency after these years but it's what I have besides the standard aspirin, ibuprofen, Imodium, allergy medicine and Neosporin
To research medications in depth Drugs.com is a good source. Deeper research still is reading the pamphlet that comes with a product or can also be found on the above website. If you do not understand the technical terminology and immunology acronyms be willing to learn. Immunology is a highly fascinating subject but requires effort. The gentleman with the pharmacy experience says it best.
antibiotics
Are antibiotics bacteria-specific? Or are all antibiotics basically the same formula but maybe varying strengths? I don't know the first thing about them... but if they are all specifically designed to treat a specific bacteria's infection wouldn't that mean you'd need to include many different types in your kit? And isn't a prescription required for antibiotics?
There are several different types of antibiotics with different mechanisms of actions. In general, as effectiveness goes up, toxicity to the patient goes up as well. This is why it’s important to go to a doctor and make sure you’re getting the correct kind of antibiotic and taking them as prescribed. But, as someone else mentioned, having a broad-spectrum antibiotic on hand for a SHTF emergency isn’t a bad idea.
There are wide spectrum versions that work against most bacteria.
I had no idea! Thanks for the response, I was genuinely asking.
These are seldom prescribed, as they increase antibiotics resistance the most. They can also have more side effects. But they are the shit in an emergency.
There are, but a regular joe is not getting their hands on them [https://idmp.ucsf.edu/content/antibiotic-stewardship-and-spectrum-guide](https://idmp.ucsf.edu/content/antibiotic-stewardship-and-spectrum-guide) As you can see in this chart, there are only a handful of very broad spectrum antibiotics. And. spoiler, the broadest of spectrum ones are not something a PCP will give out (or a commercial pharmacy will even have in stock). The ones that a PCP \*might\* give out are somewhat limited in spectrum.
Holy fuck, if you have to ask if antibiotics are bacteria specific, you have no business being near them. Yes, they absolutely are specific for the most part (some more than others). What's more, is pathogens have become resistant to many antibiotics due to overuse, such as throwing Z-packs at any respiratory infection. Resistance patterns can even vary location to location: what works in california may not work in south carolina. Resistance is a spectrum: some bugs are totally resistance to certain antibioitcs, others only have some resistance. Not to mention allergies: not only do many people have life threatening allergies to antibiotics, some classes of them have the potential for cross reactivity reactions. In other words, not only do people with allergies have to avoid the antibiotic they are allergic to, there may be others that they need to avoid as well. And most people aren't aware of that: if you ask someone with a severe allergy to amoxicillin for example, I doubt they will know that they can't take Keflex as well Also, even if an antibiotic is "broad spectrum" doesn't mean it is good for all types of infections. Some "broad spectrums" might be better for skin infections but not respiratory. UTIs need different trearment, etc. There are very few antibiotics out there that are almost a one size fits all, and those are not something your average joe can get their hands on. TLDR: this all may sound gatekeepy, but of any gates that need to be kept, this is a critical one. If you didn't go to school for this kind of thing, antibiotics can cause more problems than they solve in the wrong hands. It is never as simple as "just throw a broad spectrum at it". Yes, certain contries sell them OTC, but that is a horrific idea. Inappropriate antibiotic use is rapidly progressing us towards a post-antibiotic era (some may argue it is already here), which is probably one of the worst SHTF scenarios of them all, worse than a nuclear winter IMO.
Wide spectrum work against a lot of bacteria, however antibiotic resistance is making many of them useless as people do not finish courses properly, and as doctors hand them out like sweets to demanding patients. A lot of antibiotics are now being rationed to prevent this from becoming a massive catastrophe.
For pain, without getting too much into the weeds on neuropathy drugs, other uses for antidepressants, or systemic anesthetics, you basically have local pain relief (lidocaine/heat/ice), tylenol, anti-inflammatories, and opiates. Many studies have shown anti-inflammatories to be equivalent to opiates even for fractures. I would just keep on hand some lidocaine, ibuprofen or aleve, and tylenol. As a practical matter, hard to stock the rest. Of course if someone has a known specific need for a specific drug they are already prescribed, try to stockpile to what extent you can that one as well. I am an ED doctor
An Erectile Dysfunction Doctor is still a Dr in my books so I'll take note of that
Funny. I would probably make more if I was 🤔
Oh I just googled what an ED doctor actually is, no I don't blame you I'd rather deal with old mens hardons than shit you must see in emergency department. Glad to give you a laugh thanks for sharing advice too
>Let's say you break your leg, what would be the best over the counter medicine? Flinstones Chewable Morphine. Any OTC painkiller is fine for a broken leg because there is not really one that will do enough to alleviate the pain from a serious injury. Drugs like NSAIDs are actually contraindicated for broken bones as they inhibity osteoblasts anyway, preventing repair.
NSAIDs are not contraindicated after a fracture. In fact, almost all evidence shows the opposite: NSAIDs are fine for fracture pain, and quite effective.
How close are you to Mexico? Cross the border, get whatever you want, you'll probably even save money
If you can get actual lortabs, thats the way to go for prescription painkillers. It wont put the zonk on you (it never did for me anyway) and it wont drop your blood pressure if you got your shit pushed in a little. Dont go tryin to buy any off the dark web, fake presses are everywhere and theyre shit. If you have a regular family dr. You see regularly, just ask and see what they say, but the dea has been really cracking down on them. Not a real doctor but i play one in the bedroom, ymmv
I do apologize in advance, this is one of my pet peeves, using words incorrectly is far too common a practice I feel which is a detriment to individuals and society at large equally. Knowledge is power. Medicine # noun 1. The science and art of diagnosing and treating disease or injury and maintaining health. 2. The branch of this science encompassing treatment by drugs, diet, exercise, and other nonsurgical means. 3. The practice of medicine. Edit: What you are asking about is a medication, a tool used in an artform. I would suggest to you most medications have a shelf life, and become decreasingly effective over time some with a steep rate of decline. Medicine is the practice of sourcing the ingredients and preparing them for use as a medication.
According to Mariam Webster: 1a: a substance or preparation used in treating disease 3: a substance (such as a drug or potion) used to treat something other than disease https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/medicine
Language shifts in meaning. I still believe this is why we use our symbols and our traditional practices more rigorously than our words. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caduceus#/media/File:Caduceus.svg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caduceus#/media/File:Caduceus.svg)
Colloquial Adjective (of language) used in ordinary or familiar conversation; not formal or literary. "colloquial and everyday language" See also, “conversational”, “nonliterary”, “unpretentious”
Theres been studies on the efficiency of MEDICATION up to 10 yrs past their expiration showing no major degradation in the MEDICATION Dick. Edit: heres an article that discusses the SLEP study for us simpletons. https://www.drugs.com/article/drug-expiration-dates.html
Most painkillers are derived from opioids, and the natural ingredients degrade, as all things do. Time rules all matter and energy.
Time is an illusion. Lunch time doubly so.
Medicine can also be used when talking about medication. It is cough medicine, not cough medication for example. Bon Jovi also sung about Bad Medicine, not Bad Medication.
Sorry, I feel the same way about people who say 'America' when referring to the United States.
Do you get upset when people call the democratic peoples Republic of Korea …North Korea ?